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Pinned
This is what we hobos call "Riding suicide" ~~~
Riding suicide is called this for the reason that the rail cars you're riding has no floor to lie out on or a safe place to lay your head. This was a coal train I was riding. I rode this coal train only because the railroad bull was on to me and I "HAD" to get out of the area as fast as I could. I only rode this coal train roughly 110 miles south to the first crew change town of Pittsburg, Kansas. Once there I moved to a different train with a nice open boxcar! A "crew change" is when a new, fresh crew is placed onto the train and 99% of the time these crew change towns are in the same location. Engineers and conductors have to abide by nearly the same rules that a truck driver must. They're only allowed a certain amount of hours before a fresh, new crew has to take over the operation of the train.
You certainly want to stay awake on a suicide ride and be sober so you don't fall to your most certain death. :crazy:
Here's the link to this mad, mad ride:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1M01p3fWw
Coal train ride from the "KCS" Knoche Yard to Pittsburg, Kansas's crew change. - YouTube
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December 24, 2012 at 8:44 pm
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Pinned
Ibiza: Worth the Time and Money?
Any thoughts on this?
Is Ibiza just too commercial and too filled with shallow rich sunglass wearing drunks? OR is it still the party island it used to be where nearly everyone is high and very much into the dj and music.....
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June 9, 2011 at 1:04 am
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[username] where in the world would you most like to go?
I my self would to go to the Balkans, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia and northern Albania. although I'd end up just staying in Serbia lol
So, where would you like to go?
Passports at the ready people!!!!
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October 8, 2016 at 9:36 am
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AU/MY : AirAsia pilot flies to Melbourne instead of KL following navigation errori
At least AU is big, there is more than one safe place to land an aicraft in the country; eventually everyone followed the correct emergency procedures and thus no one was hurt. Another stark warning about the real cost of "cheap" flights..
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/sep/07/airasia-pilot-flies-melbourne-malaysia-navigation-error
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September 7, 2016 at 10:52 am
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SG : Singapore deploys self-driving taxicabs
They even managed to beat Uber to delivering a service; although one big factor in this companies favour is SG is a small and extremely well engineered and well planned country with an extremely high level of traffic safety.
Another is although USA often claims SG is a poster child for "free market economies and deregulation" this is not strictly true; SG has a more hardline attitude to rules and regulations than Northern Europe (including DE) although by and large follows EU regulations for everything (in spite of being thousands of km away).
It also has a very high level of direct investment by govt (therefore using the taxpayers money) in private companies, to the point they could be classed as part nationalised, except the level of govt control is perhaps more subtle. (This is hard to explain and I am not an economist; although its not dissimilar to how Germany operates).
Corporate taxation is lower than Europe as the govt are at least smart enough to realise that overtaxing companies they already own and have some control of is pointless but there is a lot of pressure on startup companies there to actually deliver something useful (which by and large they do).
TBH I'd trust this service in SG way more than one in USA....
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/24/self-driving-taxis-roll-out-in-singapore-beating-uber-to-it
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August 26, 2016 at 7:22 pm
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UK : LDN : Parts of London’s Underground (metro) finally goes 24 hours
About 27 years too late IMO - when I lived there and studied in Central London but lived in SE9 I managed to miss the last Tube and had to walk the entire distance from SE1 to SE9, 14km whilst half drunk (although I managed it and I didn't even have anyone try to hassle or rob me, which probably wouldn't be the case today).
Then again a youth today would still have to do the exact same (at much greater risk to their personal safety) as only a fraction of the lines have gone 24 hours.
The other more important issue is (even compared to 1980s/90s) there isn't a great deal to actually do in many parts of London late at night these days as lots of interesting places have been shut down; the remaining club venues are well outside the centre and often close at random times halfway through the night (and are also not the places where the night Tubes are currently running anyway).
That said the service is likely to be useful for the long hours low wage workers who have to work 24/7 anyway especially at weekends cleaning up stuff or
keeping things running, and a Professor is even monitoring the abundant populations of mice to see if they are stressed by the extra trains :laugh_at:
How the Night Tube could give London?s mice that Friday feeling
https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/tube-improvements/what-we-are-doing/night-tube?intcmp=22069
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August 21, 2016 at 5:24 pm
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EU : pictures of Peaceful European borders as at 2016.
I didn't realise the Schengen agreement was over 30 years old; I always thought it was from the late 90s or 2000s although that may well be the time when the European nations actually started removing border control infrastructure (as opposed to just idealistically talking about it).
The pictures in the link below below appear to have been taken by someone looking for pretty/arty shots and omit many more equally peaceful (in political terms) border areas but maybe not as pretty (due to traffic, roads etc) - such as DE/DK border along the Flensborgvej which I was looking at a few weeks ago and wondering whether it is legal to ride an e-bike across there (assuming you have correct ID documents valid for the EU and the E-bike is compliant, which mine is)
There is a DE/DK border shown in some field with a sheep in it (presumably the eartags, registration and sheperding procedures are closely linked between DE and DK, as if the sheep walks just 3 metres it is in another country!)
How long Europe will remain like this is another matter entirely (although UK is the only country at present to actually vote itself out of the EU and never signed the Schengen agreeement in the first place there are other countries nearer the Middle East where things aren't as peaceful).
What Peaceful Borders Between European Countries Look Like | Bored Panda
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August 20, 2016 at 5:51 pm
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Henning Wehn’s Tourism Guide to (West) Germany
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTpoEe9CojY
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April 30, 2016 at 12:51 am
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Travel to Warsaw – Poland
Hey guys, I'm going to Warsaw in few days, and I'm wondering if there are some good night clubs? Safe, and with something good to eat too. Any recommendations? :) Have u ever visited Poland?
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October 26, 2015 at 9:16 pm
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South East Asia
Ez PV
am looking into going to SE Asia, probably starting off in Vietnam, moving across to Laos and then down to Cambodia, possibly swing by Thailand although I'm told it had it's hey-day in the 90's and is now swimming with tourists...
Any advice tips etc. particularly cheap flights... I am thinking of going about April-May time, but suggestions at to when to go would be great to. In fact just any suggestions...
Safe,
boothy
P.S: I reckon the travel forum should be separate from Lifestyle & Health, seems to make more sense!
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July 22, 2015 at 9:45 am
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INT : Monitoring ACARS transmissions with a RTL-USB dongle
These things are only about €15; they are supposedly for you to watchi telly on your laptop but I reckon hardly anyone buys them for this purposes as there is loads of open source softwate that makes then act as a fully fledged software radio (or the sort that until recently only govt boffins had access to).
with a few freewre appps nd a good antenna (don't use the cheap magmount supplied with the kit; I got a MCC to TV adaptor and used my Band II (FM) antenna; was surprised at how many decent ACARS messagss I got. The software than calls up the plane is Germany; wheres the radar display is Japanese. I ddi have a British one but it wasm acting up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grFR7vs9_n4
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June 29, 2015 at 1:04 am
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EU : Protests against closure of night trains
unfortunately EU austerity measures are causing rail companies to downsize the night train services (which are better for the environment and safer than low budget aircraft). I had read about this on some German site about trains but only half understood it so wasn't sure what was happening; it seems services have actually got worse than in 1980s when there were still border controls!
Rail passengers in Europe-wide protest against night train cuts | World news | The Guardian
campaign websites:
EN: Back on Track | A European coalition to support cross-border rail
DE: Bahn für Alle - Startseite
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June 20, 2015 at 7:59 pm
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SS : South Sudan lad builds own aircraft in bedroom workshop
Fair play to the dude but I can understand the Air Force not letting him actually fly it yet until its 100% proven safe :wink:
George Mel has dreamed of flying since he was a boy, but when his father died he had to give up his studies, and any chance of training to be a pilot. Instead he built a plane in his back yard - which so impressed his country's air force that it gave him a job.
"I've had the passion to become an aeronautic engineer since I was young," says George Mel, a 23-year-old, who lives in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
"I love to make aircraft.
"When I was still young I tried to fly. I got curtains and put metal in to form wings, and got on top of the roof. I wanted to see if I would fly like a bird, but I fell. I almost broke my leg."
Despite such early disappointments, Mel set out to learn as much as he could about aviation.
He went to study at high school in Uganda, but in 2011, as he was preparing for his final exams, his father died, leaving him unable to pay his tuition fees.
He had no choice but to give up his studies and come home.
But he continued to do whatever he could to teach himself aeronautics.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31097612
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February 12, 2015 at 2:06 pm
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INT: respect to all mariners and aviators….
Most of you have seen the results of my radio monitoring of aviation and maritime comms -its something I do as I live near the coast to remind me how powerful and important the sea is; and how busy things are in the air - and especially with all the harsh weather in Northern Europe recently as well as political situations elsewhere I thought it worth giving respect to everyone involved at ports, coastguard stations, VTS areas and radar and control towers at aerodromes who are keepthings safe and moving smoothly 24/7....
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February 4, 2015 at 1:06 am
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European aircraft ACARS display
I think I've worked out how to get a better "European" display (I was previously using some Japanese freeware which was good but the display was like a proper 1970s air traffic control display; half the menus were ???????? as European windows won't natively display Japanese menus; I had to ask a young woman who is very brainy and worked at marconi radars to explain how it all worked.
This freeware is developed by some Germans; although a British guy did the addon for the maps display. you do also need a scanner radio with very clear output or discriminator output (i.e no filter) or a SDR (basically a scanner built into a USB tag, they can be as cheap as €25 if sold as a "digital TV receiver"). You can even go through the database of aircraft to get info about them; or even connect it online and share the info with other users (not sure if I'm allowed to do that in Blighty; although the Ofcom man told me a while back it was OK to monitor provided you didn't cause any potential safety risks).
I am no planespotter but its interesting sometimes to see just how busy the skies get and what is in them.....
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January 29, 2015 at 12:52 pm
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Intl travel Website
Looking to fine tune my site for musicians. What would we need to make this use-able for musicians to tour?
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January 26, 2015 at 5:56 am
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Expats Moving to Jamaica
If you're an expat and you're planning a move to Jamaica, you have probably spent hours scouring the internet for information use to help make the transition. (If you're a Jamaican who has been away for more than ten years, this may apply to you also.)
You have probably discovered that there is a great deal of information for tourists, with pictures of beaches, waterfalls and breath-taking vistas from hills and mountains.
At the same time, you may also be suffering from a shortness of breath after what you have heard about the crime rate. And the poverty. And the hurricanes. Not to mention outbreaks of dengue fever, potholes, corruption and the like.
Yet, in spite of the negative stories you decide that you are still coming, either because you know better, or because you are coming for a job. You have probably realized that practical information for those who want to move to Jamaica to live is very hard to find
Here are 3 tips to keep in mind before making your final trip with your suitcases (or container) packed. it's some of what my wife and I have learned from our many conversations with expats here in Kingston.
1. The Transition Will Be Harder Than You Think
I think our island is intoxicating. It helps us forget some of the stark facts that I won't repeat here, that scare most people away from either living here or returning. The beauty, culture, music, people, community, food... it lulls everyone who returns to live in Jamaica into a romantic feeling that "Every Likkle Thing Will Be Alright!"
Well, Bob was right, but prepare to have long periods of doubts when you realize how difficult the transition will be! But not to worry - you are in good company. Everyone I have talked to discovered the same thing, which is that things here are very different from what they were used to, which makes it exciting and new in some parts, but challenging and formidable in others.
This makes for the shocks that everyone reports, and their observation that it was harder than they thought it would be. You should assume the same.
The key is to be prepared, so that you can be surprised by big things like "How difficult it is so set up a company," rather than the small things like "Exactly which side of the road people drive on!"
2. Learn Jamaican Patois
It comes as a shock to many to learn that we in Jamaica speak a different language most of the time, and that some of us are not bi-lingual enough to make ourselves understood to a foreigner.
Expats who learn to understand and then speak patois are able to navigate Jamaica, tour the island, stay out of trouble, bargain for discounts and find out "the runnings" (i.e. what's happening) early on. The language can't be learned in a classroom, however The only school that exists is the one that teaches daily lessons learned from driving around and doing business in Jamaica on a frequent basis.
Those who retreat back into what's called the "expat bubble" and limit their contact with Jamaicans end up having a difficult time. International research shows that they are the most likely to end up returning before the assignment is complete. Their fears get the better of them.
3. Make Room for the Trailing Spouse
All the international research indicates that the experience of the trailing spouse is critically important. In most cases, the spouse is a wife, and she is the one whose happiness must be assured for the move to be a success. We know of many cases here in Kingston where this lesson was only learned when the wife issued an ultimatum, and in some cases moved back home with the kids to help make the point.
It's important that families realize this fact, and plan accordingly. There are a variety of opportunities here in Kingston for the wives of expats, including service organizations, book clubs and charities to help connect with existing communities.
Generally, it is difficult for trailing spouses to find work due to the need for a work permit. Recently, the government clamped down on the process, and increased the fee to US$1500, only making it more challenging. The family should be prepared to get by with only a single member working
* All this is not the say that a move to Jamaica is impossible to make. It's not. Thousands have made the transition, and thousands more will also make it in the future. They key is to do as much preparation as possible so that it can actually be enjoyed, rather than merely endured.
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June 10, 2014 at 10:22 pm
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